The team has started to round out. Beginning this year there was a huge
question mark around the offensive line and the defensive backs and the kicking
game.

As the season progressed those issues were answered fairly well
and the question of the passing game became the focus. Now that seems to have
settled in and now half way into the season the team is hitting its stride and
BYU should have a great showing at home against Ga. Tech, away at Houston, and
back home against Boise State.

Then the home stretch with games at
Notre Dame and Wisconsin and a home game against Idaho.

Then end the
season on a sky high note against Nevada in the KVN Going Home Bowl.

And then the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl versus a PAC-10.2 team (thankfully not
Utah since they will not be bowl eligible, unless they get a 4-8 exception).

The USU win was a big step for the new offense. As for the defense they
have been huge and continue to keep the opponents on their heals. Even when
Chuckie was in the game it was all KVN and BYU's defense.

There are no substitutes for experience. I only wish the game against GT was
week 3 and Utah was this week. The experience Hill gained is showing through.
Hill will prove to be one of the top 5 QBs in BYU history by the time his senior
year is complete.

Hill and Williams will both run for 1,000 yards
by season end, nobody questions his ability to run.

But it's his
passing that will improve week by week. I had my doubts about his arm after the
first three games, but I doubt no more. Mathews, Hoffman, Falslev and Thompson
will all put up impressive receiving numbers by seasons end.

I think BYU has a long way to go on offense, both passing and rushing. There is
no dominant rusher this year, except the QB, which is the worst rushing strategy
in college football, EVER. And the sure sign of a great passing offense is when
there are 6-8 receivers who are a serious threat. Finally, a great offensive
team has a QB and Offensive Coordinator who can mix it up to take advantage of
all these strengths. On a scale of 1 to 10 in the overall offense, I would give
BYU about a 2. There's a very long way to go, so my advice to BYU is to
keep working very hard. One good game for 1 receiver and 1 running back against
a team whose QB is down (resulting in poor intensity for the whole team), does
not tell me much. But it is a start. Keep moving ahead Cougars. Please bring
it all to the field every play. I wish you well.

If BYU can repeat Saturday what it did against USU, the rest of the season looks
very entertaining. If not I'm still very exctited about Hill's
potential. We are just seeing glimpses, not a finished product.

Welcome back brother! I too hope it's "real." I hope it's
real against GT, Boise, Houston and Nevada Reno, but if it is, they won't
get credit yet for being real real.

And if it's real against
ND AND Wisconsin, it still won't be real to our red brethren in the
northern parts of the land, but to the rational people (everyone else), it will
be the real deal kind of real.

Hill needs to share the ball. He found Matthews, but he needs to remember that
there are at least two other very good receivers on that team. He needs to let
Williams run the ball. By involving other players on the field, he'll see
the difference. You can't use your team to get you close to the endzone,
only to run it in yourself.

dustman:I understand what your are saying, but run plays were limited for
Jamaal by design. Mendenhall was still concerned for his health. We will see a
gradual increase in his carries, but it won't be back to where it was all
at once.

There are two things I would like the offense to focus on in
improving this next game. First, the 0-line needs to block better consistantly.
Then I would like to see Taysom trust his receivers more by releasing the ball
earlier on timed routes, especially the comebacks. In my mind he has proven he
can accurately pass the deep ball. Teams will not be double covering Hoffman
much longer other receivers keep performing. Then Hoffman will be able to
breakout again and set BYU records.

Notre Dame and Wisconsin are beatable this year. I think that the games against
those teams will tell us if there is anything to shout about this year. But my
consistent disappointment is that they don't win the big games. Texas is a
decent team that the Cougars beat, but only only only because one play worked
almost every time, the QB run. That says it all. There are teams preparing for
that, so BYU has to come with a real game plan. Go Cougars! I'm cheering
for you, but my expectations remain low until you bring me something more than
the QB draw.

I, too, would be elated if BYU were to draw Utah as their opponent in the Kraft
Fight For Hunger Bowl, provided both teams are bowl eligible. However, would not
like to see Utah win that one. The coaches and team need to get Utah, and
specifically, Kyle Whittingham out of their minds. BYU, next time they play
Utah, needs to focus on the fact that it is just another game that is there to
win and forget about Utah having won the last 4, and the pressure that brings..

It's hard to develop consistency when you are missing players every week.
Hopefully the injuries and suspensions can stop so they can manage to put the
same guys on the field every game and thus have a chance to finally develop a
rhythm.